Luqaimat and mutton aleesa

A famous combo in the Arab land, the mutton aleesa paired with sweet dumplings called luqaimat makes for a splendid treat.

Ingredients
For luqaimat


2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp instant yeast
2-2 ¼ cup warm milk
3tbsp yoghurt
3tbsp corn flour
1tsp salt
Oil for frying
1cup sugar
¼ cup water


For mutton aleesa


1


1½ cup wheat


2


1 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
2 large pieces of cinnamon
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt, as required


3


½ kg mutton, chopped
2 large onions, sliced
3 green chilies, sliced
1 tbsp ginger-garlic, ground
1 tomato, finely cut
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt, as required


4


½ cup boiled water


5


2 tbsp ghee


6


1 large onion, sliced


7


Coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation
To make sugar syrup


In a saucepan add sugar and water boil it for 3 minutes and keep aside


To making luqaimat


Mix the milk, yeast and yoghurt together
Put the flour, salt and corn flour in a bowl and add in the milk mixture little by little making a thick batter, which is slightly thicker than pancake batter
Leave to rise in a warm place for ½ an hour
Heat oil in a wide-mouthed pan, and when hot, drop batter in teaspoonfuls and wait until each ball turns golden brown in colour
Drain excess oil and put them immediately into the sugar syrup and toss lightly for it to be fully coated
Remove and serve warm


To make mutton aleesa


Wash wheat well and keep soaked in water for eight hours
Drain the water, add ingredients listed under 2 to the wheat and cook in pressure cooker After three whistles, reduce the flame and keep in low flame for 40-50 minutes
Mix ingredients listed under 3 in a small pressure cooker
Add ½ cup boiled water and mix
Cook after closing the lid of the cooker
After one whistle, reduce the flame and keep for 10 minutes
Once the steam is released, open the cooker, take out the pieces alone from the gravy and separate the meat from the bones
Heat ghee in a pan and deep fry the large onions to a golden color. Keep aside the ghee for garnishing
Open the pressure cooker and remove cinnamon sticks from it
Break the wheat using a ladle
Add mutton and prepared gravy to the finely broken wheat mix and boil for ten minutes This should ideally continue until the mixture thickens
Transfer to the serving bowl and scatter ghee, fried onions and coriander leaves over it


(The author is a chef and tutor at Greens Ayur)